Chris Buescher to make NASCAR Truck debut at Watkins Glen

Veteran NASCAR driver Chris Buescher is trying something new this weekend. The 32-year-old will make his debut in the NASCAR Truck Series at Watkins Glen International, driving the No. 66 ThorSport Racing Ford F-150. 

Buescher is a NASCAR Xfinity Series champion (2015) and a winner of six Cup races, but he’s never actually raced in the Truck Series before. However, 352 Cup starts and 74 Xfinity starts later, that will change on Friday.

And Watkins Glen is a great place for it, as Buescher is the defending winner of the Cup race at the iconic New York road course, besting Shane van Gisbergen in a dramatic last-lap battle last year.

“Watkins Glen has been a special place for me, especially after last year’s win, so I’m really looking forward to getting back there,” said Buescher in a release from the team. “It’s a great place for me to make my first-ever Truck Series start, and I’m thankful for Duke, Rhonda, and Allison Thorson for giving me the opportunity to do so.”

This will also be the first time Buescher has run any race in the lower divisions of NASCAR in a decade, as he never ran anything beyond Cup after securing the Xfinity title in 2015. In fact, the last time he ran ‘double duty’ was at Watkins Glen during the 2015 season, finishing third in the Xfinity race and 37th in the Cup race.

The Truck race, which will also feature Cup Series stars Christopher Bell and Ross Chastain, will take place on Friday, August 8th, at 5:00 p.m. with coverage on FOX Sports 1.